The Walking Dead Japan: Land of the Rising Sun
by TheRealETJ
Summary: Taking place in the same universe as AMC's "The Walking Dead", this action packed story details the journey of Jun Masumoto, a Japanese college student caught in the walker outbreak as he as his friends attempt to survive. Using real life actors to add detail to the characters (see above the beginning of the chapter), the story begins, with drama, blood, romance and survival.
1. Episode 101-A New Idea

CREATED BY ROBERT KIRKMAN

Written by Evan "Taeyeon'sBF" Jones

Jun Masumoto –Ryusei Ryo

Jae Eun Rhee – Jung Eun Ji

Takeshi Murano –Ryo Ishibashi

Ruto Yashimura – Yuri Chichen

Shinji Akai - Yuto Nakajima

Episode 101: - A New Idea

Jun's dreams were always a jumbled mess. Mostly incoherent flashes or nonsensical gibberish, but this was different. Jun could not move or speak. A shadow filled the room, followed by a large, man shaped monster, its red demonic eyes piercing the darkness. A hand stretched forward to grasp him, their intentions only it knew. Jun could feel his mouth open, but a hoarse choking noise was all that came out. His legs, glued to the floor. The hand grabbed him around the neck and squeezed tightly. Jun could feel his life draining right before his eyes, blood seeping down his shirt. The darkness surrounded him, enveloping his body like a tidal wave.  
"WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!"  
His alarm shook him out of his nightmare. He flicked the off switch on his clock in the shape of a neon green and purple cat, its face a warm smile. Jun forced himself up. He was tall by Japanese standards, standing at five foot eleven inches, his head sporting a soft brown pile of hair. His face was thin, a short nose with a small mouth below it, his cheek slightly depressed. A small scar was on his temple from a fateful encounter with a cat at the age of ten. He was not heavy set, but was thin enough to not be made fun of by his peers.

Jun slipped out of bed and opened the window. At once the sounds and smell of the city flew into the bedroom. His neighbors were yelling about the rusting car in the garage. A cyclist sped down the road. Birds sung on the tree adjacent to his window. He rubbed his eyes and grabbed a shirt from the closet. He hated waking up. Especially for school nonetheless, but still, an education is what he wanted. After showering, he grabbed a breakfast consisting of a protein bar, a shot of cranberry juice, and what was left of the pizza he had ordered the night before for the party he had planned. No one showed up, much to his dismay.

He stepped out of the dorm and took in the morning sunlight. A slight breeze kissed his face, as he unlocked his bike from the rack. The sounds of heavy footsteps thudding towards him prompted him to look up. Takeshi Murano, a heavy set man who was also the local police officer shoved a bag of cucumbers in his face. "Fresh from the wife's garden!" he chortled. Jun took the bag and sniffed inside. "Isn't your wife planning on using these for the pickles she is raving about?" he asked. Takeshi playfully put a finger to his lips, a grin spread on his face "Shhh. She never gives away produce this freely. Even if the world needed it" he laughed and headed back into the police car. He waved and took off. Jun stuffed the vegetables into his knapsack and took off towards his first class. He parked and secured his bike, seeing a group of fellow students waving at him. Jun waved back and joined them. His two best friends were gawking over a new singer in a pulp magazine. One of them, Ruto Yashimura, a pimple faced and lanky 18 year old and the other Shinji Akai, a rich transfer student who's skin was impeccable, along with his metro sexual choice of clothing. The three sat down and waited until Mr. Horo showed up to teach Economics. Ruto leaned over to Jun and whipped out his phone. "Check this out, man" he said with a faint tone of excitement in his voice. The phone lit up and a video pulled up to show a woman lying on the street, covered in blood, obviously dead. A policeman was checking the scene, when the woman woke up and reached for him. Jun scoffed "That is beyond fake you idiot" Ruto stuffed another handful of peanuts into his mouth and replied "I thought so too, but check this out" The video continued to show the cop yelling at her to stand down. The woman slowly shambled towards him. He fired his gun, bullets slamming into the woman's chest. Finally, the cop aimed for the head and fired, sending the woman crumpling to the ground. Jun smirked as he pulled out his notes "You need to pay more attention to class, and less to kid's pranks" Paul shook his head "I think it's real. Besides…you never know what the terrorists will unleash" Ruto laughed "Who? Kim Jong Un?"

The three laughed as walked into the class. After the class Jun left his friends on his way to the next class: Horticulture. There was only one reason he took the class. And there she was. Jae Eun Rhee. She was shorter than Jun, had a slender body with her face accented with almost model like features. Her hair was black with purple and red highlights. She was always hit on by the jocks & rich kids, and she always rejected them. Jun always wondered why she never dated any of them and why she sat next to him. She saw him and waved with a giant smile. He blushed and waved back. Jae Eun gasped in fake horror "Have you seen the new video about that girl who died and came back" Jun rolled his eyes. He shook his head.

"Its fake you know." He replied coolly. Jae Eun cocked her head "You sure? Sure seems real to me". Jun nodded "Youtube is full of these kinds of pranks. Always done for attention". She laughed and waved a finger "Come on, let's grab the best seats before the nerds grab them" Jun used all of his strength to not stare at her in class. After the class was over, Jae Eun grabbed his arm "Hey! I was wondering if you would like to go the new dance club in town, NeuroNeon?" Jun's eyes widened "NeuroNeon?! S-sure! I would love to!" Jae Eun smiled and handed him a piece of shiny paper. A large "VIP" was sprawled across the top. He looked up to see Jae Eun grin. 'Now you don't have an excuse to stay inside all night tomorrow" she cooed. Jun nodded and waved goodbye to her.

Jun usually cut through the business section of town in order to reach the dorms, but he also had another path which led through a small factory section. He always hated going thru here, but it was the only area of town with an actual Kool Chill gas station. He always loved going to one for a Kool Chill slushy, which today being the hottest day thus far warranted one. He rode up to the gas station and parked beside the door. The inside was cool, with the smell of disinfectant permeating the air. He nodded to the owner and poured himself a Kool Chill. He paid for it and got on his bike. He was about to kick off, before he heard a faint groan. He parked his bike and headed towards the groaning. Maybe someone needed help he thought. He walked down a long alley, with trash littering the ground, garbage cans long forgotten. He knew about the homeless people who often stayed here during the hot summer days, but it was eerily empty, save for the noise.

Jun turned a corner to find a figure dressed in torn clothing bending over what appeared to be a dog. Jun for a fleeting moment thought it was a homeless man mourning his dog…until he heard the crunching of bones & the sound of flesh being torn. Jun's eyes shot open to see the figure stuffing pieces of the dog into its mouth, gristle and blood dripping from its chin. Jun slowly backed away, bumping into the brick corner. He turned but his feet gave out, sending him falling into a pile of cans. The cans rattled loud enough to wake the dead it seemed. The figure stopped eating and stood up, turning towards Jun. Jun then saw the face. One eye was missing & a huge gash was on its cheek, blood spattered all over, with dull grey eyes locked on Jun. The low gurgling noise was replaced with a loud, guttural shriek. Jun ran as fast as he could but he tripped yet again. The former man lumbered towards him still, his shoulder hunched over with his arms reaching towards the fumbling Jun. Jun grabbed a nearby brick and stood up.

"BACK OFF!" he yelled. The man still followed him. Jun looked back, hoping to see a policeman or anyone in fact. He dropped the brick and ran inside the Kool Chill. The owner was stocking smokes. "Back so soon? Forgot something I bet-" he saw the look on Jun's face. "What the hell is wrong, boy? Why are you so pale?" He looked over Jun's shoulder to see the man stumble into the store. The owner angrily shouted, "HEY! It's not yet Halloween! Stop scaring this boy or-" he was cut short when the man grabbed him and sunk his teeth into his neck. The owner screamed and collapsed onto the floor, blood gushing out of his neck. Jun gasped and screamed "HELP!" The man jolted away from the owner and went towards Jun again. Jun ran thru the chip aisle, and saw the automotive section. A screw driver in a plastic package was hanging on the hook nearby. Jun grabbed it and scrambled to open it. The owner in the meantime crawled for the phone, and dialed the police. "G-g-get here now!" he gurgled into the phone.

Jun finally opened the package and held the screwdriver towards him. The man was upon him, and Jun plunged the tool into the heart of the man. The man didn't seem to even notice, and still snapped at him, saliva spewing out of his mouth. Jun slid the screwdriver out of the chest and remembered the video he saw "This better work!" he shouted. He yanked the hair back and slammed the screwdriver into the eyeball hard. The man stopped and sank to the floor, snapping its jaw. Jun backed away and watched as the man writhed, black blood seeping through the wound. Finally, the man stopped and went limp on the now bloody floor. Jun panted and saw the blood coating his hands. They shook violently, and he nearly collapsed, had a shelf not been nearby. He made it to the front of the store to find Takeshi standing there, having just arrived with his car parked outside.

"What happened? What-" he then noticed the body. He walked carefully towards it and nudged it with his shoe. "It's dead?" he asked, his face growing dark. Jun nodded slowly. Takeshi picked up the screwdriver. "You did this?" Jun again nodded. Takeshi tossed Jun a rag "Clean yourself off kid" he said smiling faintly. He then noticed the owner. He jolted over to him and placed his finger on his neck. There was nothing. "Takeshi…is he…" Jun began to ask. Takeshi grunted and turned towards Jun. "He was bit…in the neck by that…man" Jun explained. Takeshi blinked, his face having lost its cheery expression it always had. Takeshi pulled out his radio "We need a containment doctor here now. Location: Kool Chill on South Tokaro Street". He then pulled out his handgun, a polished snub-nosed revolver with a white handle. Jun frowned "But the man is dead" He exclaimed. Takeshi grunted "it's not for him…" he motioned towards the owner of the shop, now pale on the floor. Takeshi held the gun up to the forehead of the owner, whose eyes shot open, now pale grey. Black veins popped across his face, and a faint growl was heard. Takeshi crumpled his face "I am so sorry friend" he mournfully exclaimed. Jun was about to protest this action, when a loud BANG was heard. Takeshi had fired his handgun, and the owner slumped against the counter wall, a bloody hole in his forehead. Jun shook, and choked "You….you shot him Takeshi!" Takeshi shook his head. "No...He had turned." he quietly replied.


	2. Episode 102 - Confrontation

CHAPTER 2: -Confirmation

"Let me start, Mr…." the police officer raised his eyebrow as he flicked through a thick brown document. Jun sat staring at the table, the growls and snarls of the man thundering through his mind. Takeshi shook Jun's hand, shocking him out of his trance. "It's Masumoto. Jun Masumoto" The other policeman shot Takeshi a short look and cleared his throat loudly. "Mr. Masumoto, you and officer Murano were at the scene together. Maybe you can fill us in what Takeshi already gave us?" the officer asked harshly.

Jun straightened in his chair. "I was at the Kool Chill…I heard a noise coming from the alley, and I went to investigate. I saw someone bending over a dog…he….it was eating it"  
The policeman leaned forward. "Eating it? Like an animal?"

Jun saw the blood dripping from the chin onto the ground. "Yes..it was stuffing meat into its mouth. I tripped and it saw me and came after me." Flashes of the man lurching towards him triggered a deep shiver throughout his body. "I ran inside and tried to get help. That thing tore out…." He choked. Takeshi meanwhile stared straight ahead, horrified "…tore out his throat. He was dead by the time I arrived on the scene. He t-" ()

"OFFICER MURANO!" the other policeman bellowed. He gritted his teeth and shot back to Jun "You are not accused of murder, but you might get asked to come in again. Please don't leave town…or spread false rumors" he hissed slowly glaring at Takeshi. Jun grabbed his satchel and left. Takeshi ran up to him and put his hand on Jun's shoulder. "Please, you must understand…I had to shoot him" Jun turned to see tears streaming from his red face. Jun looked at his feet, still covered in black, sticky blood. "Explain it to me then. Make me understand why shooting a man who is dying like a dog is ever justifiable." Takeshi clumsily stuffed a note into his hand and hurried to the questioning room. Jun could see Takeshi being scolded and screamed at by the other officer. Takeshi nodded and sat down, burying his chubby face in his equally chubby hands.

Jun made it home, and sat on the floor. He ripped his shoes off and threw them in the trash. He sat with his back against the wall, his room totally dark and silent. He remembered the note Takeshi stuffed into his hand. He had since shoved it in his shirt pocket. He pulled it out and read it. It said only this:

"MY HOUSE. ATTIC. MEET ME THERE AT MIDNIGHT ~T"

Jun looked at his clock, seeing the time had clicked over to 10:30 PM. Since Takeshi lived two buildings down, he had time to study. He opened his laptop, and searched "Dead Person becomes alive again". At once a flurry of forums and message boards flew up. Most were crackpots thinking it would make for an interesting movie idea. Others were cynical, and bombarded anyone who fell for the nonsense with hateful comments. At last, he found a video on Reddit. Title: LA MAN DIES AND COMES BACK. He clicked the video.

The video showed the man being checked up on by American Paramedics, before pulling one of them towards him, snarling and flailing his arms. The paramedic was peeled off the man, and at once began to chase anyone moving. Police ran up and began to fire, bullets riddling his chest. One officer finally shot him in the head, dropping the man. The paramedic was bleeding from what appeared to be a bite wound, then the video cut. Jun frowned and sipped an energy drink. No way could this be related to what had happened at the Kool Chill. He had seen reports of psychos getting high off paint and other chemicals and going on rampages. It was probably just that. After all, if anyone is to be doing crazy things and put them on the Internet, the Americans are the ones.

He felt his pocket buzz. His phone was vibrating, due to Jun having a fear of embarrassing himself in class with a ringing phone. He checked it, and saw Jae Eun was calling. He immediately answered.  
"Jun? You there?"

Jun's gut was twisted. She sounded so cute over the phone. He slapped himself. "ERRR yes, I am here, Jae Eun? What's up?" A short giggle followed. "I was just wondering if you are still up for NeuroNeon tomorrow night. I don't want to miss it. Or you for that matter." Jun twitched "W-what do you mean?" he fumbled. A chortle floated through the phone's speaker. "Silly…I know you try to not stare at me in class." Jun gulped. "It's that obvious, huh?".

He wondered if he should let her know about the man. Better to not make her think he was a nut. "It's so obvious."Jae Eun replied. "Honestly, you are different than the majority of the guys who drool over me. You aren't always thinking of me and your jewels in the same thought line" Jun forced a small laugh. "So…I am going to meet you there, yeah?" he asked. "Yes…and don't worry, you will find me. Later killer!" Jun hung up. He looked at the clock. 11:50. Might as well see what Takeshi wanted to say. He stuffed his phone in his pocket, but also his punch spike. It was a knuckle duster he always kept in case he was mugged. A spike about 4 inches long would fold up to lock in place for added intimidation. This was strong enough to punch a hole in wood. His dad gave it to him before heading off to college, saying not to let the police see him with it. He locked the room and headed to the Murano house.

It was a small two story house, plainly decorated, with a large garden plot on both sides of the pathway leading up to the house. A sign read "Unless you are bringing Dessert, please wipe your feet" this was only on the side of the house because Mrs. Murano was known for her odd humor. He knocked. The door opened, and Mrs. Murano, a woman in her 40s, with a slightly thicker shape answered it. "JUN!" she gasped delightedly. "It's been forever! What can I do for you, sweetie?"  
Jun smiled. "I am here to see Takeshi, ma'am" He responded with a polite bow. "Oh he is upstairs. Hard day at work. Terrible job I must say. Takeshi always comes home and wolfs down his dinner…but not tonight." Her smile faded. "He just went up there. Hasn't said a word. Hope he isn't fired." Jun nodded once. "Can I talk to him?"

"If you can pry something out of him, I would greatly appreciate it. The man is usually incapable of not yammering." She patted him on the back and watched as Jun climbed the steps. The attic was dark, but clean, with only a single window illuminated by the moonlight. A small table with two chairs, and a few knick-knacks were in the room. Jun saw Takeshi staring out at the moon, not turning to face the other person. A bottle of imported Dan Jackson rum was on the table, with two shot glasses on the table. One was half full. "Takeshi? You wanted to talk?" Jun inquired.  
"It's gorgeous, isn't it?" a depressed voice asked. Jun replied "The moon, you mean?"

"Yes. It's…pure. Innocent. Not stained with blood." Takeshi turned and faced Jun. his face was red from a mixture of crying and strong drink. Jun straightened in the chair. "Takeshi, why did you shoot the man? What do you mean turned?" Takeshi poured a shot for Jun. "Take it" he ordered softly. Jun took the glass and sipped it. The strong, potent burn was enough for him to grimace. "I shot him, Jun, because he would have killed us. Both of us" he gunned a shot down and wiped his mouth. "The store owner would have become what that man in the alley became…a walking corpse. Some call them Walkers. Others call them Infected." Takeshi poured another shot. "First case was in Tokyo. Some American GI came to a hotel with two party girls. Most likely prizes for him to take. Supposedly, he had taken a large dose of Heroin. Died in his sleep. One of the girls woke up to find him ripping…" he stopped and gunned another shot. "…ripping her stomach open. He had already torn out her throat. She barely made it out alive. She had been bitten, and had stabbed him in the back of the head with a pencil. We found her body outside, having bled to death. The health minister called the whole thing a drug escapade. But…during the autopsy, she came back. Same grey eyes, same black veins, and the same growls. It attacked the examiners, and bit one. I heard about this from my boss, who swore it was a prank." He cocked his head and chuckled "Now I know it isn't. This is what we are going to have to live with for the rest of our lives." He gulped down a final shot and threw the glass on the floor, shattering it.

Jun flinched but remained seated. "So…these things are going to keep coming?" he asked, leaning in. Takeshi nodded. "The government is scoffing at the idea of walking corpses. But with so many dead…" Jun straightened himself quickly. "How many are dead? All I know of is the Kool Chill owner".

Takeshi chugged a shot straight out of the bottle. He wiped his mouth and sniffed, holding back tears "Fifty".  
"Fifty? But…we would have heard-"  
"NO! YOU DON'T GET IT JUN!" screamed Takeshi. "We are all going to get the fever, burn up and die. Then come back!" He tore his shirt and broke down "and there isn't a goddamn thing we can do about this shit!" he sobbed. "Oh god, I never wanted to see my friends, MY FAMILY being torn apart." Takeshi sobbed in the corner, the bottle draining its amber contents onto the small rug under the table. Jun picked up the bottle and sat next to the old policeman. "We survived two nuclear bombs. We will survive this, Takeshi, I promise." He wrapped an arm around the man and hugged him. Takeshi scoffed through the tears "It's not very manly to hug another man, you know Jun?"

Jun chuckled and handed Takeshi a tissue he always had in his pocket. "I guess spending 5 years in America does that to a man" Takeshi accepted the tissue and stood up. "I…I better begin packing. The countryside is more remote…safer" He nodded, comforting himself with the idea. "Jun…I know we are not allowed to have weapons. But if you need one, there is a key under the cactus plant pot. It goes to the trunk in the closet" Jun nodded and began to head down the stairs "and Jun-" Takeshi murmured.

Jun turned to face the old man.  
"-even when the world is dead, and you are at your end, never stop being the man I know now. You are a good kid, and I think of you as a son I wish I had as my own. Be the good man for others to follow. Survive this nightmare." Jun nodded and went down the steps.

That night Jun had the one word that stuck in his mind the most echo around his thoughts: Walkers. He went to sleep, thinking about the final words Takeshi pleaded with him. It was a Saturday, so no school. He had only a small 3 page paper to finish, and then he would be done with finals. Jun slept in till noon, with the knocking on his door shaking him from his slumber. He groggily opened the door to find his friend Shinji, standing there with his phone out. "You seen this, Jun?" he asked, letting himself in.

Jun opened the fridge and poured a glass of apple juice "Seen what?" he grunted. Shinji almost shoved the phone in his face. The screen lit up, and showed a man running away from what appeared to be another shambling corpse. The man fell, and was set upon, a spurt of blood spraying the ground neck to his face. The corpse was thrown off, and the camera focused onto the man, his nose and upper lip torn off, all the while screaming as blood gushed from his wound. The camera then swerved to the corpse, who had been forced against a brick wall. Another man kicked its shin, causing it to fall, then pulled a gun out and shot it. The corpse became limp and the final words heard were in Korean.  
"It's in Korea too" Shinji said, gloomily. Jun grabbed the phone. "When was this posted?" he asked. Shinji took it from Jun and scrolled down. Suddenly, the video vanished, a giant JSDF symbol appearing in its place, with the words "THIS VIDEO IS NOW THE PROPERTY OF THE JAPANESE SELF DEFENSE FORCE."  
Shinji pocketed the phone "DAMN!" He angrily took a bite out of an apple on the small table. Jun sipped his juice "That was mine you know".

The rest of the day Jun cleaned, did chores & played a few video games. He couldn't fully enjoy them though, due to what he had seen on the phone, & from what Takeshi had divulged. He dropped his wallet, and as he was picking it up, he found the VIP ticket for NeruoNeon. "OH DAMMIT!" he nearly yelled. He was supposed to meet her at 6 PM. It was 5:29 PM now. Jun slapped on his best clothes, spritzed some good cologne he had purchased on his neck, and bolted out the door. He made to the club at 5:57, and breathed a breath of relief. He parked his bike which was a double seated one he usually used for carrying books and looked around the entrance of the club. Several young Japanese, Korean & a few American people went into the club. He looked around, and was suddenly blinded. "Guess who?" a cheery voice sang. The hands covering his eyes were removed, and he turned. Jae Eun stood before him, her hair styled into a fashion not dissimilar to that of a Korean pop singer, with her slender, toned body wrapped in a silky gold & red mini skirt & her top consisting of a black satin blouse, which has the sides cut out to reveal her hips. Jun could feel a nervous pit in his stomach as he looked her up and down. "You look….nice" he choked. Jae Eun smiled sweetly "When you are done getting a mental image, shall we go, tiger?" she asked with a wink. Jun nodded awkwardly and entered the club. Entering the club they were bombarded with neon greens, reds & oranges. The floor lit up with a starburst pattern wherever they stepped, and the ceiling was mirrored. Music roared throughout the club, a heavy synth beat. Jae Eun led Jun through the dance-floor and up a staircase lined with neon. A large platform was overlooking the dance-floor, which was the VIP lounge. The DJ ended his track and put on a new one. Jun recognized it: Angerme's One by One, One after Another. Jae Eun took his hand and drew him close. "Umm….thanks for inviting me Jae" Jun nervously uttered. Jae Eun smiled and brushed his face with her hand "Jun, you are an idiot. You seriously haven't noticed that I have liked you?" she bluntly asked in a playful tone. Jun slowly nodded "I…did. But I am not the kind of guy to jump into things head first" he lied. Jae Eun laughed. "You are such a nerd" He ran his hand up her back and smiled "Maybe…but I know how to dance too" Following his lead, the two lit the floor up, and they danced, with Jae Eun moving closer to Jun, and him closer to her. Their hearts were beating furiously, but not from the dancing. Jae Eun threw herself at Jun, and tilted her head up, her eyes closed. Jun gulped and thought "Screw it". He leaned in and their lips locked. He could feel her melt as their lips touched. Jae Euns fingers dug into Jun's back, and Jun ran his hand up the back of her neck and through her hair. They unlocked their lips, and Jae Eun smiled warmly "Now that's more like it, handsome" Jun nodded "So maybe we can do that more often" he asked. Jae Eun giggled "You are a total loser…but I like that Jun. It's endearing" she said, squeezing his hand. Jun leaned in, with Jae Eun leaning in also, their lips about to lock-  
"AIIIIIEEEEE!" a harsh scream reverberated through the club. The music was cut instantly, as Jun and Jae Eun looked over the railing. A dancer tumbled in, her tight white dress covered in blood. Jun looked at Jae Eun and ran down the stairs. The other dancers ran close to help her, but then another scream filled the club. "WHAT IS THAT?"

Jun had just arrived on the main floor to hear the scream. He turned and saw her. A dancer covered in blood, her neck impaled with a large knife. Her eyes were dull grey and her mouth dripping blood and gristle. Jun immediately had a flashback to the Kool Chill. He breathed in deeply and looked at the dancers "LEAVE!" he bellowed. Jae Eun ran to his side and saw the Walker. She gasped and clutched Jun's jacket. Jun turned to her. "Get this girl to safety!" he said urgently. Jae Eun clutched his jacket for a moment, and then gave him a peck on the cheek, before running and grabbed the girl, dragging her to safety. Jun pulled out his punch-spike, unfolded the spike and held his fist against the walker. The walker lunged at him, snarling and snapping. Jun grabbed with one hand her throat, and with the other her arm. He used a Judo move he had been taught by Takeshi to throw her to the floor, a splotch of light erupting from the floor tiles. Jae Eun had taken the girl outside, when a man in a black suit pushed past her and went into the club. Policemen poured into the building after him. Jun pinned the walkers arms under his knees, and using his other free hand held down her head, exposing the temple. Police surrounded the two. "SIR, BACK AWAY FROM THE INFECTED!" one officer barked. Jun had a sudden flash of remembrance, of the screwdriver stabbing the walker from the store. He screamed and slammed with all of his strength the push-spike into the temple. A wet crunching noise was heard, followed by the squelching of blood oozing out of the wound. The girl stopped moving and gnashing her teeth, and lay still at last.

Jun stood and saw the police lowering their guns. One officer walked towards Jun and asked "You okay, son?" Jun nodded.  
Meanwhile, in the balcony overlooking the main floor, the man in the suit pulled out a cell phone and dialed. It rang, and then the man simply said "We have confirmation of a person experienced in killing Infected."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


	3. Episode 103 - Knowledge

NEW CAST: 

Ronin –Takayuki Yamada

Dr. Mesuji – Namie Amuro

Toro Masumoto - Yutaka Takenouchi

Nurse Akiko Nakayumi – Kiko Mizuhara

CHAPTER 3 – Knowledge

The man overlooked the bloody club with mild interest. There was an almost deafening silence on the other end of his cell phone. "Are you sure he knows how to kill one?" the voice on the phone questioned. The man nodded "Yes. He plunged a spike into the temple of a dead girl. It did the trick" he replied checking the time on an expensive wrist watch. "Ronin, you might as well bring him in. Someone like him is bound to be detained by the police." The voice commanded. "And the girl who was with him? What about her?" Ronin inquired.

"Leave her. She is only going to make things more…complicated."  
Ronin bit his upper lip. "As you wish." He hung up and left the club.  
Ronin was thin, with a square jaw, small eyes, and shallow cheeks. He always preferred wearing the best suits, especially ones that allowed expensive American cufflinks. His hair was coiffed, with a single strand curled around his left uppermost part of his forehead. He stepped outside to see Jae Eun catching a glimpse of him. He turned and approached her, softly grabbing her shoulder. She turned sharply to smack whoever was groping her, but she stopped when Ronin leaned in and whispered "This is not the only one". Before she could even question what the hell he meant, he had vanished in the crowd teeming around NeuroNeon.

Jun brushed aside the nurse's hand. "I am fine I assure you miss" he huffed. He had a few minor bruises, but nothing major enough for a doctor. The nurse smiled and playfully planted her hands on her hips "That's Miss Akiko Nakayumi to you. And you are fine when I say so" Jun grunted and let her examine him. "Poor girl was out of her mind on drugs" she sighed mournfully "she probably didn't even know she was doing what she did" Jun closed his eyes. "She was dead."

Akiko stopped applying ointment on a small scrape and stood back a bit. "So…you know?" she asked dreading the answer. "Yes I do" Jun responded "and I also know you are trying to keep this quiet." Akiko leaned in close "You should keep your voice down, if you want to be able to keep moving around freely. The JSDF are containing anyone who knows." she advised. Jun frowned, "The why give me the heads up?" he asked. Akiko grinned cutely. "Because I think you are handsome. Shame to let that go to waste, am I right?"  
Jun nodded and smiled in a controlled manner as Akiko patted his arm with a cheery grin. Jun saw Jae Eun standing outside the hospital doors, a worried look clouding her n normally bright face.  
"What was that Jun? What…" Jae Eun tried to ask. Jun grabbed her by the arm and whispered "Meet me at my place tonight. We need to have a talk about what just happened".  
=+=

Ronin stood impatiently waiting for the good doctor to finally arrive. He hated having to wait around for anyone, and despite Dr. Karukara being the most qualified person to handle this disease, she had the bad habit of being habitually late. The room was bland. Sterile. Fluorescent lights lit up the surgery suite, with the smell of disinfectant permeating the air. His nose curled with the other smell wafting about: decay. He picked up a scalpel from the nearby table and slipped it in his pocket. Maybe, he thought, he could use this to cut his thumb during her boring diatribes. Or his neck.

The door opened and in floated a beautiful woman, her face slender and sloping down to a small pointed chin. Her eyes were dark, as was her dyed auburn hair, with her slender, petite body wrapped in a grey and satin pencil skirt. Ronin was not usually into academic types…but she could keep him entertained any lonely night for all he cared. She noticed his eyes wandering up her legs and cleared her throat.  
"Is there an issue?" she asked with clear hostility. Ronin smiled and replied "only if you want one" cheekily.

"Dr. Mesuji…nice to meet you" she introduced herself with an annoyed look that was only more exacerbated by the smile Ronin gave her.

"So Doc…why am I here? Unless you want to get to know me better" he replied with a deep tone. Mesuji ignored the advances and slid out a body on a roll cart. Ronin looked at the body and then back to Mesuji. "She's the girl who was bitten at NeruoNeon" he remarked. Mesuji nodded once. "She was bitten by an infected. Later, she died from a 110 degree temperature fever. Boiled to death essentially" she explained "bites, no matter where, kill you" Ronin peered at the naked body on the roll cart. "So…why hasn't she turned? Every other case thus far has lead to a turn"

Mesuji pursed her dark red lips. "Every turn is different in terms of duration. One took 3 days…another 2 minutes. She only died 30 hours ago"

Ronin made an affirmative grunt, and then cocked his head as he examined the girl. He placed his head close to her, and heard a faint gurgle. His eyes widened. "It's happening" he exclaimed.  
Mesuji placed her head close by too, and heard a louder gurgle. The eyelids of the girl fluttered and then flew open. Her eyes had turned dull grey, and her mouth slowly opened. Ronin whipped out his highly personalized handgun, a 1911 colt with a dragon's mouth opening to reveal the end of the barrel, lined with gold, silver & and the handle wrapped in leather. Mesuji gently forced his arm down and tightened the restraints. The now turned girl struggled furiously to move under the leather straps. Mesuji calmly glided over to the table and picked up a bone saw. She motioned for him to put on a face mask, which he did. She then cut around the skull and gently popped off the skull cap. Her eyes widened. "Look at this!" she gasped. Ronin glanced at the discovery. The brain, once pink with dark red veins, had turned into a dirty ivory color, with black veins now engorged with thick blood. "This sample could be what we needed! Every other sample has been from a dead infected, and now…now we can possibly make a cure" She sliced off a portion of the brain and plopped it in a sample cup. Ronin became rigid. "Doc…what the hell was the point of all that? Why bring me here? I am here for protection, not anatomy" he demanded.

Mesuji smiled sweetly "I wanted you to see what the Japanese people will become…if this is not handled. Remember, we are paying you to make sure there are no containment leaks concerning infected. Is there one?"

Ronin hung his head. "Yes, but they are being rounded up" he murmured.

"Good! Now if you will excuse me, I need to make sure this doesn't degrade any more than it has already" She stopped and glanced at Ronin.  
"Also, if you want to get in my pants…you never will" she sweetly retorted.

Ronin looked at the floor as she left, then back to the struggling walker. "I hope you are wrong" he said under his breath. He then left the room.

Jun opened the door to let Jae Eun in. She immediately hugged him tightly. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she choked "I was so worried!" Jun coldly stared at the wall behind her "I'm fine. I think you should sit down" he said in a void tone.

Jae Eun sat next to Jun, her hands shaking as he held them. She laughed weakly "Look at me. A Med student...and my hands are shaking like this. What kind of doctor will I become?" She looked at Jun, whose face had drained of color.  
"You won't be a doctor. No one will anymore. No one is going to have a future."

Jae Eun cocked her head in confusion. "What are you talking about?" she inquired.

"That…thing at NeuroNeon. That was just the beginning" Jun replied.

"That methed out girl?" Jae Eun asked, her face growing more worried by the second.  
"It wasn't a girl anymore Jae. She wasn't methed out…she was dead." Jun numbly explained. Jae Eun gawked at Jun with pure confusion. "Dead? You mean after you killed her? Which was for the best, I should add"

"She had died previously…and then came back. It's happening everywhere. People who are dying are not truly dead. They come back and then…become monsters." Jun then buried his face in his hands. Jae Eun sat motionless. "Are…you insane?" she quietly asked. She ran her hand up his back to try and snap him out of his trance. "Look…I know what you saw was horrible. I still see it whenever I close my eyes. But…you can't be serious in thinking that this is widespread. It's a drugged out girl. Nothing more…nothing less"

Jun looked at her, tears dripping down his fear stricken face. "Everything we saw on the internet…it was real!" he cried. She cupped his face in her hands and looked him in the eyes. "Maybe…I can help you forget?" she playfully asked. She pulled down her shirt strap to show off her pink bra. Jun blankly stared, then nodded. As they stood up, the doorbell rang. Jun opened it, only to be instantly slammed onto the floor. Policemen and JSDF swarmed the room, and pinned Jae Eun against a wall, slapping handcuffs on her. Jun looked up only to see a rifle butt being raised. He heard "He is infected! Secure-"before being struck hard with the butt. Blackness surrounded him.

Jae Eun screamed "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" A JSDF pointed a gun in her face, shutting her up. A man dressed in military attire stood by as Jun was dragged off outside. "Captain Masumoto, your son is in custody!" one JSDF soldier exclaimed. Jae Eun stood completely shocked. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOUR SON?!" she yelped. Captain Masumoto looked at her and replied "He didn't tell you about me? Not surprised." He waved an arm and a sack cloth flew over her head.

Meanwhile, the same JSDF soldier walked up to the command car. "We have the suspected infected under arrest." He saluted and walked off. Inside the car, a man in an expensive suit with an arm covered in tattoos lit a cigarette and replied in a gruff voice "Not the warmest of family reunions, huh Captain?" as the Captain entered the car. Captain Masumoto didn't even look at the man as the group left the house.

Jun awoke strapped to a chair, the room totally dark save for a single light lamp on the table in front of him. His head pounded. A voice from the shadows boomed out "You know how to kill them. We have seen it." Jun tried to look at the source of the voice. "Who are you? What do you want with me…." He suddenly remembered about Jae Eun. "JAE EUN!" he yelled. Suddenly the chair roared forward towards the table, Jun's face slamming onto the surface. A cold metal tube was pressed against his face, followed by a click. "Keep screaming and you won't see her. Got it?" the voice calmly warned. Jun grunted in acceptance. The gun was taken off his cheek and his chair jerked back into position. A man walked up to Jun and sat down. Jun's eyes widened "DAD?" he croaked. Jun's father, Captain Toro Kasumoto, folded his fingers into a steeple. "Listen, I know this is probably the last way you would want to talk to me. But this situation we are in is too serious to simply ignore." Jun smirked "Sounds like the same bullshit you would tell Mom, Hideki and I"

Toro's face twisted in rage "ENOUGH!" he roared.

"OR ELSE WHAT? YOU'RE GONNA KILL ME? LET ME TURN?!" Jun screamed back, venom coursing through his words. "You never cared about any of us! Always driven by you sense of honor. And now you seem to care. What a complete failure you are!" Jun spat furiously.

Toro sank into the chair. "Jun…Japan is going to crumble any moment. We can't contain this. The dead will soon become too great to simply hide" he leaned in towards Jun "The Health minister is trying to contain this…but this virus is too complex. It's spreading rapidly. And we can't stop it. You have killed two of them already, the infected. You know more than the average person at this point." Jun frowned in confusion. "So what? Am I under arrest?" he asked.

Toro swallowed hard "No son…I am trying to save as many as I can."

Jun again frowned "By putting a gun to my head? And kidnapping me and Jae Eun?"

Toro stood up and undid his restraints. "That was not my doing. It was his" he pointed to the shadows, where out of which a man with a tiny beard, dressed in fancy suit with his neck & his arms covered in tattoos. Jun's eyes widened. "The Yakuza?" He gasped. Toro tiled his head "The military is hunting down anyone who has any contact with an infected. So far, as we speak, thousands of people are being rounded up. We could only sneak you away. The Yakuza offered to protect the people being falsely accused of being infected. Like you." He then pulled out a pistol and set it down on the table. Jun looked at it. "What…what am I-"he began.

Toro put a hand on his shoulder and looked his son in the eyes. "It's time to be the man others can follow. It's time to grow up" he said warmly. Jun looked down then picked up the gun along with the holster. "What about Jae Eun?" he inquired.

The Yakuza man walked towards them. "We are working on that. Ronin is dealing with that" he explained in his gruff voice. Toro smiled confidently "We are getting her back, son"

Jae Eun grasped the wire fence, looking around for Jun frantically. The sound of thousands of angry Japanese citizens filled the large room. It had been in a previous life a cup factory, now converted into a holding area. She turned to see a large, greasy man approach her. Jae Eun winced "Why are we here?" she asked timidly. The man wiped his mouth "JSDF must be trying to contain whatever the hell this thing is by killing us all" he grunted still stumbling towards her. "Which means, since we will be dead soon…no need for me to worry about jail time again" he exclaimed as he pinned her against the fence. He sniffed her hair, and ran a finger down her neck. He looked at her shirt and grinned sadistically. "This is the best part: when they don't even fight back" he grunted licking his lips. He tore her shirt off, exposing her pink bra. She finally gathered her wits and slammed her knee into his groin. The man yelled and fell backwards. "You slut!" he roared. He stood up and pinned her against the fence even harder with one hand, the other balled into a fist. He raised his fist to slam it into her small face-

A loud shot was heard. Jae Eun heard the noise, followed by the feeling of warm spatter on her face. She looked to see the man had been shot in the eye, and then tumbled into a crumpled heap. The whole room was now quiet save for a few gasps and murmurs. She turned to see a man in a fancy suit, his forearm wrapped in a dragon tattoo. Ronin lowered the gun and opened the cage door, allowing Jae Eun to tumble out. She looked up at him. "You're welcome" he coolly remarked, offering her a hand.

Next week: AS JAE EUN AND RONIN LEARN ABOUT THE NEW WORLD, JUN AND HIS FATHER ATTEMPT TO RESCUE SURVIVORS AS THE DEAD BEGIN TO OUTNUMBER THE LIVING, AND SOCIETY CRUMBLES.


End file.
